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What happened to the first 999 DDGs

The numbering convention of us Destroyers got messed up with the "new" DDG (guided missile destroyer) and DLG (guided missile destroyer leader) designations.

This was further compounded when the four "Ayatollah-class" Destroyers (built for the Shah's Iran) were impounded by the US, turned over to the USN and became the "Kidd" class. They were brought into USN service as DDGs, but stayed in the "DD" numbering convention of their Spruance-class half-sisters.

After the Kidd class ships (DDGs -993 to -996) the final ship in the "DD" sequence was the USS Hayler (DD-997). -997 and -998 were actually set aside for two additional "Ayatollah" class destroyers that were never built (after the Shah fell), -997 was reclaimed for the Hayler.

The Zumwalt started life as the DDX program, which was for a destroyer designed mainly for operations against shore-based targets. There was a CGX cousin that was supposed to be multi-mission, but it was cancelled. Since it was not multi-mission (which is what the "DDG" designation really evolved into), it was put into the "traditional" series while the Burkes continued the DDG one.

I figure someone in the USN just liked starting the sequence on a nice round number, hence the jump from DD-997 to DD-1000, skipping -998 and -999.